Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: The World's Strongest Spirit User (8)
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Warrior, mage, priest.
There's a certain matchup dynamic between these three.
A mage can harass and whittle down a melee-focused warrior from a distance.
A priest endures the mage's onslaught with various miracles, dragging things out into a stamina battle and emerging victorious.
A warrior leverages superior base stats to overwhelm the priest in a storm-like assault.
It's not an absolute rock-paper-scissors divide, but it serves well enough as a clue to each one's weaknesses and how to exploit them.
Michael's ordeal stemmed largely from starting off injured by ambush and disarmed, but the decisive factor was getting perfectly ensnared in tactics tailored exclusively against warriors.
In other words...
The moment the target switched from warrior to mage, the Spiritus Family's strategy lost all effectiveness.
Especially since Galen wasn't just any mage—he was the superior version of every existing mage.
"Hey, Elder! Elder!"
"Watch out! It's dark-element magic!"
"Light more torches! Check the ground too!"
"Uncle! Damn it all, kill them! Kill them all!"
Apparently, not everyone was just some random in a robe. As Galen had anticipated, the Spiritus Family plunged into temporary chaos.
Gathered here were former Family Head Atma, current Family Head Jason, five Gold-rankers including them, and fifteen escorts offering near-brainwashed loyalty. Their base skills were Silver, but boosted by magic weapons to effective Gold level. Even excluding the four Nightmares maintaining the Dark Veil, it was an overwhelming force.
They'd only lost two magic weapons and had two escorts badly injured in exchange for withering Michael away—it had been a highly successful trap.
Until just moments ago, that is.
Suddenly, the Dark Veil exploded with holes punched through, intruders dropped from the sky, and amid it all, an utterly unexpected spell—not even fire-based, despite their caution—took out one Gold-ranker pathetically.
Inability to process the instant shift led to screams, panic, and rage erupting everywhere. Total pandemonium.
At least the leadership—the Golds—regained composure quickly.
Shrrrr!
The ground beneath Galen's group rippled like water. Lilia swiftly grabbed Galen as he nearly lost balance.
"Hm?"
"Be careful! There's an earth spirit!"
Michael warned urgently. A Gold spirit's direct attack meant little to a Gem warrior like him, but for a physically frail mage—even a Gem—it could still be a threat.
Of course, they didn't truly know Galen.
"Oh, is there?"
Galen calmly replied, firing mana at the ground sucking him down like a swamp.
Territorial March's mana ruthlessly churned the earth below.
The spirit freely kneading the ground clashed with Galen's own ground-kneading magic that birthed soldiers.
Two fighters battling over one ingredient—how could the dish come out right? The quaking earth's motion forcibly halted.
Galen casually pulled his half-buried shoe free.
"All good now. Heal me up, Lilia."
"Yes!"
"What other spirits are there?"
"W-Wind and fire. Two Golds each. One just died, though."
Michael stammered slightly in reply. Lilia had already taken his hand, infusing holy power.
Fwaaah!
Purification's miracle first washed away foreign contaminants as Healing's miracle rapidly mended Michael's entire body.
Thanks to his aura barrier, the heat hadn't penetrated deep, making skin wounds relatively easy to treat.
The minor issue: as an archbishop's miracle, the effects were stellar, but so was the flashy glow of the holy power. At night, it stood out even more.
"A priest!"
"What? Not a mage?"
The confusion from assuming one mage specialized in one element type was brief.
Realizing the Gem warrior they'd cornered was reviving pushed all questions aside.
"Ignore it and charge! Stop the priest first!"
Jason bellowed. With the exalted Family Head's command, the combat-savvy escorts leaped forward in unison.
"Disruption isn't your exclusive trick, you know?"
Galen scoffed.
Synchronized with their movements, Spiral Eddy mana had already reacted.
Whiiiir!
The whirlwind, using the group as its eye, spun ferociously to form a wall of wind.
"Urk?!"
The escorts, trusting their magic weapons, faltered in their bold charge.
Just like how Michael's feet had been pinned earlier by the wind spirit. Without something to grab and brace against, no human could pierce gale-force winds.
The spirits intervened, unable to stand by. From the relatively weaker eye-piercing vertical axis above.
A hazy mist blocked two diving wind spirits and one fire spirit from overhead.
Tzzzzzzt!
Something melted and shredded apart.
No matter its debilitation specialization, Deathly Mist alone couldn't hold off three Gold spirits.
The moment the mist's defensive line crumbled...
Fwoooosh!
Upsurge Virtual Inferno's reversed flames launched the weakened trio skyward.
Galen briefly admired the fountain-like blaze spectacle before narrowing his eyes.
A blaze several times larger than the rising Virtual Inferno flames plunged from the sky.
"Come to think of it, Lord Atma... no, not quite now. He's the fire spirit user, right?"
Whatever the title, a Gem's realm couldn't be underestimated. Blocking this with another spell might be tough.
Decision made, the spirit coiled around Galen's wrist released its stored water.
Shwaaaaa!
The massive volume—enough to flood the area if unleashed—shot into the air.
Flames that should rise met waterfall that should fall, positions inverted, colliding midway.
Kwaaaaa!
Fire vaporized water; water smothered and extinguished fire. At the clashing boundary of opposing elements, steam erupted explosively.
The clash ended in a perfect tie.
Or rather, Galen's goal was defense, achieved—so a judged victory for him.
"Hah, haha..."
Michael, who'd watched the entire exchange from the best seats, let out a hollow laugh.
He hadn't doubted Galen's Gem status—the Church wouldn't err there.
But achieving Gem while barely past his mid-twenties, mastering multiple magic types? That strained belief. Impossible atop impossible—how could it be easy to accept?
He'd assumed some flaw somewhere. Be it the water magic at Gem or the others.
Yet the scene before him shattered even Michael's firm convictions with its intensity.
How many visible spell types? Each capable of staving off Gold spirit users, operated simultaneously no less. Successfully defending against Atma's attack left no room for debate on prowess.
"All done!"
Lilia withdrew her hands right on cue.
The burn pain was long gone; only refreshment lingered. Astonishingly swift healing.
Michael was stern and stubborn, but not so narrow-minded as to deny others outright. The Church wouldn't tolerate such an inflexible elder otherwise.
"My thanks. To both of you."
His tone remained gruff, but sincere admiration carried a different warmth.
"No problem at all!"
"Now, shall we counterattack?"
Lilia beamed in response, while Galen smiled faintly.
"First, clean up around Atma swiftly. I'll pin him down—Lilia, handle the magic weapon users."
"Got it!"
"Lord Michael, the spirit users are yours. I'll make openings."
"Wouldn't focusing Atma be better? I can manage the Golds alone."
"I know. But if they just grab ankles again, it'll drag. Speed is key. Conveniently, I have spells effective against spirits."
"Very well, then."
Michael acquiesced without argument. Refreshingly compliant.
"Oh, Brother Michael. Use this!"
Lilia unslung a sword from her back. She'd left her usual mace as too conspicuous, bringing a spare instead.
"Might not fit perfectly, but better than nothing?"
"No other weapon?"
"I can make one. Priesthood's exposed anyway."
"Right. Won't refuse, then."
Gratefully accepting, Michael's eyes gleamed with cold killing intent toward the Spiritus Family.
"They're coming again. I'll match the winds."
A colossal flame bird filled the sky descending; from earth, a massive water dragon ascended jaws agape.
The two Gem mages' powers clashed anew.
Galen dispelled Spiral Eddy mana.
Lilia and Michael shot left and right through the sudden wind halt and steam clouds.
"Gasp!"
"B-Block them!"
Escorts who'd only spectated the whirlwind barrier scrambled.
They saw the radiant sword from Lilia's hand but dismissed her as mere bishop-level.
A bishop matched Gold; with magic weapons matching Gold output, several could take one bishop.
If she were truly just a bishop.
Thoom!
Just before clash, Lilia's holy power wave engulfed the escorts.
"Wha—"
"Ugh—"
As the bizarre sensation—first for them—drew unwitting groans...
Krunch!
The radiant sword cleaved through mostly sword-form magic weapons wholesale, then their owners behind.
Escorts who'd output Gold-level might scattered like dry twigs. Over a dozen wiped in seconds.
"Wh-What?!"
Remaining escorts guarding spirit users with shield or armor magic weapons freaked.
This was why Galen sent Lilia their way.
Priest's eighth miracle, Selection: invalidation in one word.
A true Gold warrior or mage could resist somewhat despite constraints on aura or mana—it's their power.
But escorts borrowed others' power via magic weapons. Nullified tools left them helpless—swift annihilation.
Michael's side fared no better.
"Halt!"
Startled by Galen's sudden shout, the spirit users panicked next.
[Life : Spirit : Obedience]
Demonic Voice Domain
The life mana riding Galen's roared voice halted the spirits upon contact, making them writhe.
Perfectly synced Golds could bind a Gem's feet; impossible with suddenly uncontrolled spirits.
Michael, briefly hesitating if the shout was for him, sensed opportunity seeing the spirits falter worse.
Unlike before, full-condition Gem warrior movement was terrifying.
"Raaah!"
Michael ignored the shield-leading escort charging recklessly.
Shwick!
The high-rebound shield magic weapon was useless. Michael passed faster than it extended, indifferently slashing.
As the escort's head flew, Michael's blade already bisected the spirit user behind.
"Argh!"
"Guhk!"
Remaining escorts and spirit users fell sequentially. Lilia joining melted them faster than ice in blazing sun.
The trap perfectly suppressing Michael relied on Atma as main with others assisting.
With Atma pinned by Galen and Lilia added, subordinates alone couldn't hold.
'Easy. Too easy.'
Mind easing, Galen's lips relaxed slightly.
No chance for Atma's interference—Nightmares aside, nearly cleaned up in a flash.
Remaining boss: three-on-one even without Anton. Leisurely dismantle.
Sole concern left... Personal Realm?
'Exact effects unknown.'
Mages hyper-specialize, strengths and weaknesses stark; they hide flaws.
Gem or not. No fool broadcasts their Personal Realm effects. Others speculate from sightings, but Gems rarely unleash theirs fully—scarce samples.
Atma fit: Gem, but no standout feats. Caution for unknowns advised.
But... even game-changing Personal Realm couldn't overturn three-on-one.
Pathetically, Atma was a fire spirit user. Easiest matchup with Water Flow Manipulation.
Realm-boosted fire spirits? Counter with his own Realm—done.
"...?"
An anomaly invading his senses halted Galen's thoughts.
Furrowing his brow, Galen soon widened his eyes.
Through lingering steam, the ascending water dragon—bolstered by continuous water supply...
Crackcrackcrack!
Its tail end rapidly froze solid.